Culture of Hong Kong

The culture of Hong Kong can best be described as a foundation that began with China, and then leaned West for much of the 20th century under constructive . Despite the 1997 with the , Hong Kong continues to hold an identity of its own.

People in the culture

Most Hong Kong ethnic Chinese people naturally lean toward eastern culture, because demographically they are the majority. Many, though, have adopted western ways with substantial numbers still adhering to Chinese traditions. On various social aspects, the bottom-line Chinese values of ''"family solidarity"'', ''"courtesy"'' and ''""'' carry significant weight in the culture. Heavy influence is derived from culture from the neighbouring province of Guangdong. There are also substantial communities of Hakka, , and Shanghainese people. On the contrary, people have long been referred to by their origin in China.. Overall the background of Hong Kong Chinese born after 1965 can be classified as westernized, since they have been influenced by western cultural symbols

Sports

With limited land resource available, Hong Kong continues to offer recreational and competitive sports. Locally sports in Hong Kong is described as "Club Life". Internationally, Hong Kong have participated in Olympic Games, and numerous other Asian Games events. Major multipurpose venues like Hong Kong Coliseum are found. Others include regular citizen facilities like .

Martial Art

Martial arts in Hong Kong is accepted as a form of entertainment or exercise. is one of the most popular, especially among the elderly. There are groups of people practicing the motion in every park at dawn. Many forms of martial arts were also passed down from different generations of Chinese ancestry. Styles like , and are some of the more recognized. The atmosphere is also distinct as people practice outdoor in next to ultra modern .

Leisure

When not at work, Hongkongers devote much time to leisure. Mahjong is a popular social activity, and family and friends may play for hours at festivals and on public holidays in homes and mahjong parlours. The image of elderly men playing Chinese chess in public parks, surrounded by watching crowds, is common. Other board games such as Chinese checkers are also enjoyed by people of all ages. Among teenagers, shopping, eating out, karaoke and video games are common, with Japan being a major source of digital entertainmment for cultural and proximity reasons; there are also popular local inventions such as Little Fighter Online.

In the past, Hong Kong had some of the most up-to-date games available outside of Japan. Negative associations were drawn between and . Nowadays, soaring popularity of home video game consoles have somewhat diminished arcade culture.

Outdoor activities such as hiking, barbecues and watersports are also popular due to the local geography.

Gambling

Gambling is popular in Chinese culture and Hong Kong is no different. Gambling is legal only at three established and licensed institutions approved and supervised by the government of Hong Kong: horse racing , the Mark Six lottery, and recently, football .

Games like mahjong and many types of card games can be played for fun or with money at stake, with many mahjong parlours available. Movies such as the 1980s God of Gamblers have given a rather glamorous image to gambling in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Hong Kong Jockey Club provides a major avenue for horse racing and gambling to locals, mostly the middle-aged. The club was established in 1844 by the , with the first racecourse being built in Happy Valley. The club closed for a few years during World War II due to the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. In 1975, lottery Mark Six was introduced. And in 2002, the club offered wagerings for soccer world championship games including the and the .

Cultural Gallery